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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1* R. W. SCOTT]:

KNITTING MACHINE. No. 410,859. Patented Sept. 10,-1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-*Sheet 2.

R. W. SCOTT. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 410,859. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. W. SCOTT. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 410,859. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

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Wb'imsas I frwmior Y 1306(76 lid Shaft $0M y Mu'ififormeyc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. SCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO LOUIS N. D. VVILLIAHS, OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,859, dated September 10, 1889.

Application filed July 8, 1889- Serial No. 316,836. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.- fiXed frame A of the machine, is adapted the Be it known that I, ROBERT W. SCOTT, a driving-shaft b, to which is secured a bevelcitizen of the United States, and a resident of wheel D, gearing into abevel-pinion D',formed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented on the base of the cam-cylinder F, the latter 5 certain Improvements in Knitting-Machines, being mounted on the fixed frame of the maof which the following is a specification. chine, so as to be free either to rotate or to re- My invention relates especially to that class ciprocate thereon. of knitting machines known as seamless The operating-cams of the cylinder F are, machines, which are intended for forming as usual in machines of this class, so con- [0 pockets or bulges on knitted webs by first strueted that when the needles 0c are dethrowing a number of needles out of action pressed in the needle-cylinder they will be simultaneously, but permitting them to reunder the influence of the cams and will be tain their stitches, then gradually reducing operated so as to knit; but when raised in the the number of needles remaining in action needle-cylinder they will be free from the inl 5 by throwing needles out of action alternately fluence of said cams, and will consequently reat opposite ends of the acting set, but permain out of action. mitting them to retain their stitches, and then In operating a machineof this character all bringing these needles successively into acof the needles are in action in making plain tion again preparatory to throwing into action tubular work, and when it becomes necessary 2o simultaneously the needles first rendered into form a heel or toe pocket upon said tube a active. number of the needlesusually about one The main object of my invention is to prohalf-are lifted out of action simultaneously vide simpler mechanism than usual for efby suitable means for instance, by means of fecting the automatic picking of the needles a special cam on the cam-cylinder, as shown 25 first out of and then into action again for the in the patent of D. O. Bellis, No. 385,163, formation of the narrowed and widened web dated June 26, 1888. The end needles of the constituting the pocketor bulge on the fabset remaining in action are then lifted sueric. The mechanism may be used in part, cessively, first at one end of the set and then however, for effecting but one of these obat the opposite end of the same, so as to be o jects-that is to say,it may be used for throwout of the path of the operating-cams, the ing needles into action for widening or out of needles so raised retaining their stitches and action for narrowing when but one of these the operation being continued until the web duties is to be performed. which is being produced has been narrowed In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 to the desired extent, whereupon-the end nee- 35 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in dles are successively depressed or brought longitudinal section, of a circular-knitting into action, first at one end and then at the machine constructed in accordance with my other end of the acting set, until all of the invention. Fig. il -is a sectional view of part needles formerly raised in narrowing the web of the same, showing the needle-picker, use have been depressed and brought into action 40 die, and cam-cylinder in a different position. again, whereupon the needles around the Fig. 2 is a plan view of part of the machine other half of the head are likewise depressed shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is adetached view of and the formation of tubular fabric is repart of the machine; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are sumed, it being understood that during the views illustrating modifications. formation of such tubular fabric the cam- 5 A is the fixed frame orbed of the machine; cylinder is rotated, while during the forma- B, the needle-cylinder mounted in an intertion of the pocket or bulge the cam-cylinder nal rim or flange A of the bed and supported is reciprocated so as to carry the thread firstupon a cam-ring B, so that it can be raised in one direction around the acting set of neeand lowered to govern the slackness or stiffdles and then in the opposite direction around 10c 50 ness of the work. the samel To suitable hearings to, depending from the The essential feature of novelty in the present machine is the means employed for effecting the automatic moving of needles out of action at the ends of the set and the automatic bringing of these needles again into action, and this mechanism I will now proceed to describe.

The needle-picker is substantiatly similar to that set forth and claimed in my patent, No. 407,126, dated July 16,1889, and consists of a bar G, recessed on the opposite sides at the outer end, so as to form shoulders (I, the outer end of the bar being also provided with a pivoted hook f. The inner end of the bar G has a hub G, which is confined between collars c on a spindle H, the latter being adapted to a bearing g in an arm g, extending upward from one side of the cam-cylinder F of the machine. The upper end of the spindle II is acted upon by one arm of alever I, hung to a bracket on the arm g, and having in its other arm a slot I, which receives a pin h on one arm of a lever J, likewise hung to a bracket on the arm g, the other arm of this lever having a slot J, which receives a pin 7a 011 a lever K, hung to the arm g, the other arm of this lever bearing against a flange i, formed on the fixed frame A of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a spring j, acting upon the lever I so as to move the same and the intermediate levers J and K in such manner as to press the lower arm of the latter lever against the flange t.

llung to the fixed frame A of the machine, adjacent to the flange '1 are a series of springeams M M and N N, one set of these cams being held out of action while the other set is in action, and this operation being effected by means of a camring P, turning in a suitable bearing in the fixed frame A, and having cain-slots 7;, which act upon pins 7r, de pending from the cams M M N N, so that by moving the cam-ring in one direction the cams M M will be permitted to drop into action, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, while the cams N N will be held out of action, as 'also shown by full lines in said figure, a reversal in the direction of movement of the ring causing a corresponding reversal in the relative position of the cams, as shown by dotted lines in Fig 2.

The operation of the cam-rin g P at the appropriate intervals is effected by means of a pattern-chain R, adapted to a chain-drum R, secured to or forming part of a ratchet-wheel S, which is mounted so as to be free to turn on the shaft 1), and is actuated by means of a pawl-lever S, the latter being under the influence of a projecting lug m on the bevelwheel D and of a suitable retracti ng-sprin m.

Hung to the frame A of the machine is a single lever \V and a compound lever \V, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper ends of the levers being connected by a link which carries a catch n, engaging with lugs 1) on the camring P, and on the pattern-chain R are oppositely-projectinglugsorpinss, oneof which is adapted to strike the lever \V, the other pin strikingand operating the lower member of the compound lever \V, the pins being arranged at such a distance apart onthe chain that the eannring 1 will be operated 'at the appr0- priate intervals, contact of a pin with the lever \V moving the link V in one direction and contact of a pin with the lower member of the lever \V moving the link in the opposite direction.

The operation of the machine is as follows: During the production of continuous tubular fabric the picker rotates above the tops of the needles a: and is out of the way of the same, and when the machine is stopped preparatory to the formation of the pocket on the tube the picker is on that side of themachine in which the needles are to remain in action. \Vhen the needles are lifted around the other half of the machine, their upper ends are in such position that they will be in the path of the outer end of the picker as the latter moves with the cam-cylinder in its reciprocations. ()n the first reciprocating movement of the cam-cylinder, therefore, the picker will strike the first raised or inoperative needle at one end of the acting set, the vertical position of the picker being such that that portion of: it above the shoulders (7 comes into contactwith the needle, the lateral dimensions of the picker being such that under these circi'nnstances the hook f is directly in line with the nextneedle of the head-that is to say, the first depressed or acting needle of the acting set. During the first part of the reciprocating movement of the cam-cylinder the cams M M are in operative position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, and just before the cam-cylinderhas reached the limit of: its reciprocating movement the lower end of the lever K comes under the int] uence of' one of of these camssay the cam Mthe said-arm of the lever consequently traveling up the outer face of the cam and then dropping back onto the guide-flange 1'. The consequence of this is a that a vibrating movement is imparted to the lever K, and thence through the lever J to the lover I, so that the spindle II and the needle-picking tool carried thereby are first depressed and then raised again, with the result that the hook f catches the heck of the first depressed needle, and on the rise of: the picking-tool lifts said needle to the inoperative position, as fully set forth in my patentabove referred to. ()n the reciprocation of the cam-cylinder in the opposite direction the picking-tool is brought to bear against the raised or inoperative needle at the opposite end of the acting set, and the levers are again actuated, this time by the cam M, so as to pull into inoperative position the first needle at that end of; the acting set, and these operations are thus repeated, so that needle after needle, first at one end and then at the other end of the acting set, is pulled up into inoperative position, the frictional driving device for the needle-picking tool permitting the arrest of the latter at any IIO.

desired point without stopping the continued movement of reciprocation of the cam-cylinder. When the desired number of needles have been thuslifted out of action and it is desired to reverse the operation and bring these needles into action again, movement of the cam-ring P is effected by means of the automatic mechanism described, so as to throw the cams M M out of action and allow the cams N N to drop into action, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that on the first reciprocation of the cam-cylinder after this movement the lever K will be actuated by one of the cams N Nsay by the cam N. It will be observed on reference to Fig. 2, however, that that portion a" of the flange 4 adjacent to each of the cams N N is pivoted and connected to said cam by means of a link '9, as shown by dotted lines, so that it will be depressed when the cam is permitted to drop into acting position, as in dotted lines; hence before the lever K reaches the cam N it will pass into the recess thus formed, and the movement thereby imparted to it will be transmitted to the needle-picking tool so as to lift the same to such an extent as to bring the recessed lower portion of the bar Gto bear on the raised needle, which serves as a stop for said bar. The consequence of this is that one of the shoulders of the bar is caused to project over the top of said needle, and the hook f is brought into line with the space between that needle and the needle adjacent to it, so that when the needle-picking tool is depressed it will carry down into operative position the needle overlapped by its shoulder, and will rise Without causing the hook to engage with a needle. On the reverse reciprocation the same operation is effected at the opposite end of the set, and so on until all of the needles previously thrown out of action have been pressed into action again, whereupon the needles around the other half of the head are likewise depressed into operative position, preparatory to the resumption of the knitting of the tubular web. The cams MM and N N are so located on the bed of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2, that the cams M M will act when the thread-guide has passed beyond the end needle of the acting set, while the cams N N act before the thread-guide reaches said end needle-in other words, the end needle of the acting set is raised out of action after the completion of a course of stitches and before the thread-guide commences to return to form the next course, while the needles are pushed downinto action at the ends of the set while the thread-guide is approaching and before it reaches said end, the operation of the needles being in effect precisely the same as in'the ordinary hand-machines of this character.

It will be evident that the essential feature of my improved machine is the utilization of the needles themselves as stops for the needlepicking tool, and this feature may be embodied in machines differing from that shown as regards the mere mechanism for operating the picking-tool, and the latter itself is also susceptible of modification, as indicated in my patent above referred to, and although I have shown my invention as applied to a circular machine, it will be evident that it can be applied to straight machines as well; hence in some of my claims I have alluded to the needlecarrier as covering both a cylinder or straight frame. In Fig. 6, for instance, I have shown an instance of the application of the invention to a straight machine, of which E is the needlebar, and F the reciprocating cam-box, the latter having bearings F for a rod H, which is thus carried by and reciprocated with the cam-box, the bar G of the needle-picking tool being frictionally mounted upon said rod H so as to travel with the cam-box until stopped by the needles. In this case the cams M M and N N are of course arranged in a straight line, and the cam-operating bar P is straight instead of circular; but the parts are otherwise constructed as in the circular machine.

It will also be evident that my invention may be used in part for effecting butone operation-that is to say, it may effect either the moving of the needles into operative position, or their movement into inoperative positionand in some classes of machines the operation may be in a measure the reverse of that formerly describedthat is to say, the operative needles may be the raised needles and the inoperative needles may be the depressed ones, so that the picking-tool will be stopped by contact with the operative needles, or the jacks 0f the needles may serve as stops instead of the needles themselves-for instance, the picking-tool may be at the base of the cylinder, and may act upon jacks projecting below the same, the tool being stopped by contact with the jacks of either the acting or inoperative needles. This construction is also shown in 6, in which the downwardlyprojeeting stems of the needles constitute jacks, the lower ends of which are acted upon by the recessed end of the picker in order to raise the needles, bits 00 on the jacks being acted upon by the hook of the pickerin order to draw down the needles. By the use of .the term needle in the claims, therefore, is intended not only the needle itself, but the jack or other equivalent device, which is practically part of the needle.

A spring-controlled picker is also available as a substitute for the frictionally-operated picker-for instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the picker-arm may be pivoted loosely and held between spring-arms on the carrier, tending to maintain it constantly in mid-position, or two pickers acted upon by an interposed spring may be used, as shown in Fig. 5.

Although I have described cams as a means of operating the needles, it will be evident that my invention is not limited to the use of cams for this purpose, as in many cases it may be advisable to use a substitute for the cam for advancing the needles, or for both advancin g and retracting the same-such, for instance, as set forth in a separate application filed by myself and L. N. D. \Villiams, and bearing date June 22, 1S89,SerialNo. 315,288.

My invention is also applicable to those machines in which the needle-bed is horizontal and either straight or annular, the needles being guided either laterally or radially in said horizontal bed.

It will be evident, furthermore, that my invention can be readily applied to a machine in which the needle-cylinder is rotated and vibrated in place of the cam-box.

Both in Figs. 1 and G I have shown the bits of the needles under control of the cams of the cam-box; but it should be understood that when theneedle is to be raised or lowered the cam-box has been so moved priorto such operation that the cams are beyond the bit of the needle whichis to be acted upon, the latter being thus free to be moved either up or down, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 1%, which represents a needle raised into inoperative position by the picker.

Having thusdescribed myinvention, Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the needle-earrier and it needles, means for operating the latter, and a needlepicking tool projecting into the line of the needles, whereby its move ment may be arrested by contact with a projecting needle of the carrier, and the picker thus brought into position for acting on said needle, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, the needle -picking tool arranged to be stopped by a projecting needle, and a tool-carrier having a yielding connection with the picking-tool, whereby one may have movement independently of the other, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, the needle-picking tool occupying such relation to the needles as to be stopped by a projecting needle of the set, and a tool-carrier having a frictional connection with the picking-tool, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, a needle-picking tool projectii'lg into the line of the needles, whereby its movement may be arrested by contact with a projecting needle of the carrier, means for moving the picking-tool so as to cause such contact of the same with the needles, and means for moving the picking-tool in line with the movement of the needles, so as to move the engaged needle into operative or inoperative position, substantially as specitied.

5. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, the cam-box and its needleoperating cams, a needle-picking tool. occupying such relation to the needles as to be stopped by a projecting needle of the set, and a tool-carrier having a yielding connection with the picking-tool and connected to the cam-box so as to be moved therewith, substantially as specified.

(i. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, a needle-picking tool occupying such relation to the needles as vto be stopped by a projecting needle of the set, means for moving the picking-tool across the set of needles, and cams and intervening devices whereby the picking-tool is moved in a direction in line with the needles after reaclr ing the limit of its transverse movement, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the needle-carrier and its needles, a needlenching tool occupying such relation to the needles as to be stopped by a projecting needle of the set, means for moving the picking-tool across the set of needles, two sets of cams and intervening devices whereby the picking-tool is moved in a direction in line with the needles after reaching the limit of its transverse movement, and means for throwing said sets of cams into operation alternately, substantially as speei' fied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT \V. SCOTT.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM D. Cor nna, HARRY Snrrn. 

